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Year - B

 Homily for the Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

READ: (Isa 50: 5-9; Jas 2: 14-18; Mk 8: 27-35)

REFLECT: Let us transcend ourselves from human ways to God’s ways or human mind to God’s mind…

Dear friends, we are in the 24th Sunday in Ordinary time. The liturgy of the word invites us to answer the question who is God for us or who is Jesus for us. We have different types of associations and relationships today. Some just for sake of relating, the so called casual relationship or hi-bye relationship, some don’t relate at all least bothered about relationship and some others still there for a deep relationship, healthy relationship and for a good relationship. The people who don’t relate well with others well and people who are just for hi-bye relationship or relationship based on needs and wants will not be able to give an in-depth knowledge about other substantially because they have no in-depth knowledge or idea about persons with whom they associate or relate but people who associate or relate with others for a good reason, good cause, with deep sense of relationship will be able to enlighten others with whom they relate. That’s what we see in the readings of the day;

There were different associates of Jesus during his life or earthly ministry; Common people, the Jewish authorities like Pharisees, Sadducees or scribes and the apostles. All their associations with Jesus will definitely differ. For example, to common people Jesus was a miracle worker or wonder worker; for Jewish authorities, Jesus was a threat to their knowledge and traditions and customs of the society because Jesus was knowledgeable in scripture and knew about traditions and customs of the society. But, for the apostles Jesus was different because of the in-depth knowledge and the association that they had. So each person experienced Jesus differently as how they perceived Jesus. With these background, based on the readings of the day, I would like to share with you three points as in what ways and means can we know who Jesus is for us, what is Jesus ‘mind or his ways and how can we make him known to others.

1.     Total submission to God’s work:

Total submission to God’s work would mean that we completely dedicate our lives in word and deed to God’s plan. We surrender our personal wills and work for God’ will, so that God’s will become the prime purpose of life on earth as human persons. No matter, what crisis and challenges we might go through in life, we place God and his plan at the center of life, so that God could work through us and make us strong in faith and conviction. That’s why someone has very beautifully pointed out, “If nothing works, total submission to God is the last work and it always works, because when we surrender to God totally for his work, he gives us the grace and courage to do and fulfill certain plans that we are entrusted by God in life.” Yes, that’s something similar we find in the first reading of the day from Prophet Isaiah.

The first reading tells us how prophet Isaiah was not rebellious, did not turn backward rather gave his back to smiters, gave cheeks to those who pulled his beard and did not hide his face from shame and spitting. Yes! Prophet Isaiah understood that whatever the shame or disgrace he underwent was for God’s sake and for God’s work, God would be favorable to him and strengthen him to face the sufferings and humiliations of life and overcome them by God’s grace. Today how many of us put our total submission in God or surrender our lives in the hands of God. Most of us have grown with the approaches of finding God’s ways as wrong or blame God for all that happens to us. We seldom realize that we have become what we are because of our deeds and not by God’s deeds or anger. Today all that we need to ask is “Can we submit unto God whether good or bad in God’s hands?”  I am sure if we abandon everything unto God, God will never abandon us for he has in all surety said, “even if a mother forgets her nursing baby, I will not forget you for I have carved you on the palm of my hand,”( Isa 49:15). We have such a promising God, who always fulfills his promises and assures of us his presence all the time. But, it is we who forget God and go away from his love and care. So when we completely surrender our lives to God, God saves us from all crisis and chaos of life.

That’s what Pope Francis would say, “God gives all to those who surrender all.” Yes, when we surrender everything to God, we choose to give up both external and internal the misery and misfortune that ruins our happiness and peace of life. There could be many ways to find happiness in life but one of the best and ideal steps possible to find real happiness and peace in life is the spiritual path of surrender to God. It is like a little child, who cares the least while crossing a road, because they place their trust in God, holding their hands and walking with them joyfully. We may tend to ask, “What do I need to surrender?” The answer is surrender all that you are faced with in life, rely on God and God will definitely stand by us, because he loves us. Most of our difficulties and failure is that we expect God to heal us or come to our rescue immediately as and when we like or wish. It does not work, because God knows our wants and needs, desires and wishes. God comes to our rescue when really need. What we need to do is to rely on God’s presence and promise and totally surrender everything to God, so that God blesses us in abundance and relieves us from every pain and sufferings of life.

2.     Correspondence between faith and works:

Someone has very aptly said, “The credibility or the integrity of persons is seen in the correspondence between what they say and do or manifesting in action.” Yes, the correspondence between faith and works influence others by the way one professes and lives by it. Perhaps, we need to consider faith and work as complementary to each other. For us Christians, Faith is not something a separate thing to be understood from daily live that we live and lead rather it shapes and builds one’s way of living as we profess and believe. Similarly, work is not a separate thing to be considered or understood from one’s faith we profess and practice. We all need to consider and understand work as an opportunity to live one’s faith through actions that affect the lives of many in order to bring them closer to God. That’s the purpose of the correspondence between faith and works. It aims at bringing people closer to God by way of life-witness in words and deeds. The faith that we have and the works that we do bases itself on faith it has a long lasting impact and it bears fruit as well. The correspondence between the faith that we profess and the work that we do or involve should match otherwise our efforts will be in vain, faith will be shaky and works will be fruitless.

That’s what we hear in the second reading of the day from the letter of St. James that faith by itself if it has no works, is dead. Yes, the faith that we profess need to be manifested in life and the work that we do must profess the faith that we have learned or inherited from elders or traditions or the Catholic Church. Today we see a lot of contradiction in life. Some have faith but they don’t practice. Some practice but not what they profess in faith. If we have faith, we don’t practice and if we practice it is not connected to faith that we profess. it only becomes meaningless and pointless. True life in Christ as Christians is based on faith and works received from God. What we profess in faith must be lived out and what we live must be based on the faith we profess. When there is such correspondence in life, life will be full of happiness and peace; life will be full of satisfaction and contentment in the Lord and his works.

Pope Francis, while speaking about the correspondence between faith and works, very beautifully points out saying, “We, too, make this mistake many times. It's often the case when a person thinks, but I have lots of faith. I believe everything. However, look at how that person lives life. It may be a lukewarm, weak life where faith is like a theory and not lived out in practice. You may know all the commandments, all the prophesies, all the truths of the faith, but if this isn't put into practice, is not translated into works, it serves nothing. As the Apostle James noted, even demons know the Creed, but that doesn't mean they have faith.”  Yes, most of the things concerning the faith in God or in Christ that we hear remain in theory and not in practice. When there is no practice of the faith that we profess in works or in action, it becomes a stumbling block to grow in faith and love of the Lord. Most of us like to become teachers but not persons who really practice faith in life. Such attitudes only create duplicity and insincerity. Today, let us make earnest efforts to profess faith in word and deed, create an impact such a way that inspires others to come closer to God. Let us understand that faith and works are not contradictory to each other rather they are complementary to each other. Both empower and enhance our Christian way of living, manifesting Christ to one another in the world.

3.     Be on God’s side

Being on God’s side would mean that we live in alignment with the spiritual values of love, joy, peace, forgiveness, humility etc. It is a way of being in relationship with God through prayer, faith and moral standards or values of life. It is a total trust in God’s plan; we obey God’s commands and commit ourselves to God’s ways. We love and serve others as God loved us in Christ Jesus. However, in this journey of being on God’s side, whether we are inside or outside does not matter but whose side we choose to remain really matters. If we are on God’s side God will stand besides us always. That’s assurance God gives us always. It is we, who tend to take different side altogether for want of pleasure and ultimately experience pain, because of our own desires and decisions. However, when we look into ourselves, we see that in all of us there is a divine nature and human nature. Divine nature because we are created in the likeness of God, human nature because we are not born gods rather created as human beings by God. That’s what we see in the acts of Peter in the Gospel of the day.

When Jesus asked them in general, “Who do others say?” There were multiple answers but to a personal question “who do you say” Peter emphatically answers, “You are the Christ.” It shows Peter’s in-depth relationship with God and Jesus. Thus it was not flesh and blood that revealed to Peter but God the Father has revealed to Peter, that Jesus was the Christ. This is the first side of Peter, so called the divine side of Peter. The divine side of Peter emerges from the deep intimacy and knowledge of Christ, knowing Christ and learning from Christ, but there is another side of Peter that his revealed by his own flesh and blood, in the following verses of Peter’s acknowledgment about Jesus, the human side of Peter. In the next few verses we see Jesus denouncing Peter to get behind because his ways of thinking does not match with that of God’s. That’s what Jesus says, “Get behind me Satan. For, you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”

Yes, Peter in the human point of view realized or felt pity that Jesus should not be rejected or killed or put to death. But at the same time when he is fully overpowered or controlled by the human attitudes and human emotions, he forgets the divine stream that runs through him, the divine purpose of Christ’s coming. It is here that Peter stands as an obstacle or hindrance to the mission of Jesus and the plan of God. Jesus very clearly tells Peter, “You are not setting your mind on the things of God but on the things of man.” It reminds us that when we don’t set our minds on  God or  godly things and engage ourselves in ways of human mind, desiring for worldly wisdom, worldly ways and worldly things,  we no more become before who set heart, mind and spirit on God and God’s ways. Perhaps, we are all created as human beings, but we have in us the divine side or divine fiber as we are created in the image and likeness of God. When the divine side takes upper hand, God completely dwells in us and we would understand and do God’s plans in our lives. The moment, we slide through the divine side to be overpowered by human side or rationality, we lose the sense of divine touch in us.

Therefore, we all of us need to strike a balance between the two the human side and divine side in us. But when we are on the divine side or on God’s side, God takes complete control of our human emotions, feelings and desires and motifs and makes us walk on the path of God. Today we need to see on whose side am I? On God’s side who can do everything or on my side or the so called human side? Most of us today stand besides human standards, human power, human desires, human motives but not on God’s side or God’s strength which requires our total selves immersed in prayer and pure relationship with God. We all know that Pope Francis inaugurated the Year of Prayer ahead of the 2025 Jubilee, calling on the faithful inviting “to pray more fervently to prepare ourselves to live properly this grace-filled event and to experience the power of hope in God. The Holy Father explained further that the Year of Prayer is dedicated to rediscovering the great value and absolute need for prayer, prayer in personal life, in the life of the Church, prayer in the world.” Yes, this is the life of transcendence going beyond human values to kingdom values and centralizing that prayer establishes our union and intimacy with God. It is in prayer that we rediscover God and his greatness and thus renew our lives in God.

Certainly, it is a call to transcend our human sides of petty emotions, desires, feelings and motifs to that of God’s plans and dreams. It is like the Psalmist who says, “It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in human beings,” (Psalms 118:8). Yes, trust in God and taking sides with God always empowers and enhances the quality of life as Christians. We need to make efforts and find happiness in God alone. So, if you and I want to transcend our human side of us then we need to totally submit unto God, there should be correspondence between the faith that we profess and we live. It may not happen all of a sudden, it takes times. We need to prepare for it, work upon it and venture on it slowly and steadily with assistance and grace from God. So let us pray that all of us become closely associated with God in prayer and be on God’s side to know his divine designs for good of us all.

RESPOND:

Do we totally submit ourselves to God’s works or own works?

Do we correspond our faith and work for the spread of the gospel of Christ and live them for the glory of God?

Do we take sides with God for life eternal or take sides with human persons, losing the offer of life eternal from God?

Let us submit totally unto God, correspond faith and work by life-witness and experience the divine inside of us. Amen. 

God bless us all! Live Jesus!

Fr. Ramesh George MSFS

rameshvkmsfs@gmail.com

9500930968